Is Hobbytown USA Worth Visiting?

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Tue May 12, 2009 5:45 pm

I have to go out of town tomorrow for some personal business. I scoped out online to see what's around where I'll be, and there's a Hobbytown nearby. Is it worth checking out? If there's no 1:18 there then I don't want to take the time.

mikeg · Post by **mikeg** » Tue May 12, 2009 5:56 pm

You'll probably find very little, if any, 18th XD AC- if found, expect to pay 69.00-79.00 for your average AC. The 32nd AC are 29.95, at least around here. I could be momentously wrong, but I doubt it- I think the hobbytowns on the west coast have had a little more to offer, but not much-at almost twice the price of walmart.. Any way, check it out-it may have a pallet of long lost 18th spits on clearance just for you.

kduck · Post by **kduck** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:35 pm

I haven't been to one in years (at least 10) but back when I used to go they had lots of stuff but it was generally just the current products being produced by the leading model manufacturers at the time. Smaller independent shops generally had more interesting things. Perhaps they've changed but being a franchise I doubt it. However they do seem to be successful at what they do. Most other hobby shops have fallen victim to the internet and changeing interests.

BTW if you scoped the store out online why not give them a call and see what they have?

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Tue May 12, 2009 6:41 pm

Hobbytown's worth checking out if you have a hobby I guess... It's not a toy store though. I stop in for paints, plastic sheets/shapes I need. That kinda stuff. They have lotsa nice military models like Tamiya kits and things. I always like looking that stuff over just for fun.

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Tue May 12, 2009 7:29 pm

Thanks, guys. And kduck, good idea - I'll bring the phone number with me and maybe call while I'm traveling.

[CAT]CplSlade · Post by **[CAT]CplSlade** » Tue May 12, 2009 7:46 pm

The majority of the die cast seems to be FOV in 1/32 and 1/72 plus lots of Dragon in the smaller scales. I'd be very surprised if you found any remaining 21st stuff or much in the way of larger scales that aren't RC.

However, if you wish to start building kits they can help.

Although I buy all my kits off ebay for easily half the B&M retail price.

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Tue May 12, 2009 11:07 pm

Not worth looking if you want prebuilt models. I've been to 6 seperate locations and it doesn't look like they carry much outside of hobby supplies and kits.

What you should look for instead is the mom and pop stores. They carry the good stuff.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue May 12, 2009 11:42 pm

Hobbytown USA stores are run on a franchise basis. Thus, what one store carries will probably differ from the next. I would say the store would be at least worth a visit, even if it turns out to be a bust. You never know what you might finid...

At my local store, one of the employees had a connection with 21c and so at least for a while, the store got in a lot of items. Between 2003 and 2007, my local Hobbytown store carried quite a bit of the latest XD and BBI products - not to mention Franklin Mint, Dragon, Corgi and Hobbymaster products. It was often more reliable than Wal Mart. I got a number of my XD purchases at my local Hobbytown over the years: P-47D, Bf-109G, F-104, Avenger, ME-262, Panzer IV, Sherman, Halftracks, and a number of 1:32 and 1:72 products. There were many more I should have picked up as well, but didn't.

Now, the store offers some of the latest BBI offerings (Paratrooper figures, Bf-109, AH-6, and Pavehawk) and has a few final 21c items left: two F-86s, F-104, and some 32x planes and armor. They have a ton of Dragon and Hobbymaster aircraft and tanks, mostly the newest offerings. Quite a few Dragon and DID 1:6 figures as well.

corpbob · Post by **corpbob** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:44 am

I've yet to find a Hobbytown that I'm impressed with. Our first HT was obsessed with only two things, RC cars and Warhammer stuff (yes, Warhammer!). They carried some 1/32 FOV stuff (made poor choices as to what to order) that was much higher than online. It didn't surprise me when they went belly-up. Now another one has started in a different location. Even poorer selection, no 1/18 or 1/32 at all, just a waste of good space. Best I can tell, they have a problem with franchisee/owners who don't know a thing about what a hobby shop should be and what you get is a mess.

tkjaer21 · Post by **tkjaer21** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:56 am

The Hobbytown by me has a lot of 21C stuff that was clearanced across the street from Wal-Mart and some stuff the was on Clearance from Target. They did not have any pre-clearance and all of the sudden, they have a large stock that overprices most of it towards the $80.00 range. The reason I could not find a lot of stuff on clearance was because the Hobbytown bought all of it. I dislike Hobbytown for doing that.

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:43 pm

Well, with everything going on with JSI right now I decided not to check it out. So an anticlimactic end to this thread!

pcsguy88 · Post by **pcsguy88** » Fri May 15, 2009 2:50 am

The last one in KC went under right before Christmas. We now have exactly 1 local hobby shop. Just score a Vraciu Hellcat there for retail.

tkjaer21 · Post by **tkjaer21** » Fri May 15, 2009 12:40 pm

pcsguy88 wrote:The last one in KC went under right before Christmas. We now have exactly 1 local hobby shop. Just score a Vraciu Hellcat there for retail.

Pics or it didn't happen.

pcsguy88 · Post by **pcsguy88** » Fri May 15, 2009 3:22 pm

I always thought I wanted your Catmouth Avenger until I had both in hand and could compare. They also had Daisy Junes. This made me happy. bbi at retail.